News Update
June 16, 2009

West Nile Virus Detected in Harris County

West Nile virus has been detected for the first time in 2009 in Texas, said an expert with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. The virus was found June 9 in mosquitoes by Harris County’s mosquito control department, said Mark Johnsen, AgriLife Extension medical entomologist based in College Station.

The mosquito species that carries the virus, known as the southern house mosquito, is a common pest found in backyards and parks, Johnsen said. “This mosquito species breeds in septic water found in roadside ditches, storm sewers, birdbaths or any container that holds water for more than seven days.”

The best defense against the pests through the late fall, Johnsen said, is to practice the four “Ds” of mosquito control:

• Drain — dump, clean or cover all containers around homes and businesses that can hold water for more than three days.
• Dusk and Dawn — avoid outdoors during periods of peak mosquito activity.
  
• Dress — wear loose-fitting, light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and pants.
• DEET — use mosquito repellents that contain the active ingredient DEET during outdoor activities.
  

The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1937, Johnsen said. It was introduced in the U.S. in New York City in 1999 and resulted in 62 human cases and seven fatalities. The virus has since spread to the 48 contiguous states. Symptoms may be flu-like and include fever, headaches, skin rash and fatigue.Symptoms are treated as they arise as there is no vaccine for the virus.

More information about the mosquitoes can be found at www-aes.tamu.edu.

— Adapted from release provided by Texas AgriLife Extension.

Ty Thompson Wins Auctioneer Championship

There was just one championship title left for Ty Thompson to win in the Livestock Marketing Association’s (LMA’s) World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) — that of world champion. And that’s the one he took home, following competition June 13 at the Fergus Falls Livestock Auction Market.

This was the Billings, Mont., auctioneer’s 12th time in the WLAC. He’s come close to winning the contest, taking the reserve championship twice and the runner-up spot last year. He’s also been one of 10 finalists seven times.

The 2009 reserve world champion is Tom Frey, Creston, Iowa, and the runner-up world champion is Kyle J. Shobe, Lewistown, Mont.

The remaining seven finalists were, in alphabetical order, Charly Cummings, Yates Center, Kan.; Justin Dodson, Welch, Okla.; Jim Hertzog, Greenwood, Mo.; Mike Nuss, Minatare, Neb.; Ted Odle, Brush, Colo.; Jason Santomaso, Sterling, Colo. and Kevin Schow, Paxton, Neb.

The Championship is an actual sale. Six judges score the semi-finalists on vocal clarity and quality, talent at keeping the sale moving, bid-catching ability, and by answering the question, “Would I hire this auctioneer?”

A portion of the contestant’s score is determined by a pre-contest interview, where they’re judged on several criteria, including clarity of expression/articulation, and knowledge of, and the ability to act as a spokesman for, the livestock marketing sector.

The 33 semi-finalists are narrowed to 10 finalists, who then sell more cattle, and are judged on the above criteria. This year was the 46th annual WLAC.

LMA will again use four quarterfinal competitions to qualify contestants for the 2010 WLAC. The eight top-scoring contestants at each competition advance to the June WLAC. The 33rd contestant is the International Auctioneer Champion, who is traditionally given a “bye” into the semi-finals.

The quarterfinals will be Sept. 25 at Public Auction Yards, Billings, Mont.; Oct. 9 at Crawford Livestock Market LLC, Crawford, Neb.; Oct. 15 at Calhoun Stockyard, Hwy. 53, Inc., Calhoun, Ga. and Dec. 2 at Parsons Livestock Market, Inc., Parsons, Kan.

The 2010 WLAC will be June 19 at the Oklahoma National Stockyards, Inc., Oklahoma City, helping to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Stockyards.

— Adapted from release provided by the Livestock Marketing Association.

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health Adds Food-Industry Staff

Jennie Hodgen and Bob Giblin have joined Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health in two newly created positions established to develop the animal-health company’s relationships within the food chain.

Hodgen joins the animal-health company as technical service specialist — meat science, and Giblin serves as manager of food industry communications. They will support the meat industry by deepening collaboration, partnerships and communications with retail grocery, restaurant and foodservice-management companies; meat distributors and suppliers; and food-industry organizations, policy makers and key influencers.

“As a partner to those directly supplying the food chain, it is vital that we understand and support all segments of the meat industry — from producers to consumers,” says Eric Alsup, business unit director, fed cattle for the company. “The globalization and integration of the food industry requires stronger relationships, collaboration and sharing of knowledge and ideas among all of us who — in one form or another — are responsible for the quality, safety, affordability and availability of today’s food supply.

“In creating these two new positions, we are improving our ability to build and support crucial relationships throughout the food chain, at levels where decisions are made that have profound impacts on our core customers — livestock producers.”

— Adapted from a release provided by the Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health.

State Veterinarian Imposes Restrictions on Livestock from Nebraska and Texas 

State Veterinarian Robert Stout has imposed restrictions on certain livestock entering Kentucky from Nebraska and Texas as a result of outbreaks of tuberculosis (TB) in cattle in those states.

Kentucky also has prohibited entry of livestock from one south Texas county because a horse there has been diagnosed with vesicular stomatitis (VS).

“The very best way to manage these diseases is to keep them from getting into Kentucky’s livestock in the first place,” Stout said. “Kentucky’s livestock industry generates about $3 billion a year in cash receipts to farmers every year. We will do everything we can under the law to protect this vital sector of Kentucky agriculture.”

The new rules on livestock from Nebraska and Texas require a negative TB test within 60 days of entry into Kentucky or movement from an accredited herd for cattle 18 months old or older and goats and camelids six months old or older.

Nebraska officials have confirmed TB in two cattle in the north-central part of the state. The state has quarantined 32 herds with about 15,000 adult cattle. The National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, has confirmed a diagnosis of TB in a dairy cattle herd in west Texas.

The Texas Animal Health Commission announced on Friday that VS in 2009 was found in a horse in Starr County in far south Texas. Kentucky state regulations prohibit the entry of all livestock, wild and exotic animals into the Commonwealth from the VS-infected county. Regulations require livestock, wild and exotic animals from the rest of Texas to be tested and found negative for VS within 10 days of entering Kentucky, have an entry permit from the state veterinarian’s office, and have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection showing that the animals have been examined within five days of entering Kentucky.

Vesicular stomatitis is a viral disease that occurs sporadically in the U.S., usually in southwestern states. It can affect horses, cattle and swine, and occasionally sheep, goats and deer. It causes blisters to form in the animal’s mouth, on teats or along the hooves, resulting in excessive salivation, lameness or oozing sores.

The last outbreak of VS in the United States was in Wyoming in 2006. The disease spread through several western states in 2005.

For more information or for updates, go to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s web site, www.kyagr.com, and click on Animal Health or call the Office of the State Veterinarian at 502-564-3956.